Changing Times

Latest AP Dispatches:

CAIRO (AP) — The latest on the aftermath of a coordinated militant assault on Egyptian security forces in the restive northern Sinai that killed dozens of troops and set off the bloodiest fighting in the peninsula in decades. The Israeli prime minister has warned of the growing threat to the region from Islamic State militants and has expressed condolences to Egypt over the deadly IS-linked attacks in Sinai the day before.

Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that "we see in front of our eyes IS acting with extraordinary cruelty both in our northern border and at our southern border."He says: "Our hearts are with the Egyptian people, we send our condolences to the Egyptian government and the families of those who were killed in battle with the cruel terror."

Egypt and Israel share a border in the Sinai and have cooperated in the past on cross-border militant threats.

Egyptian security officials say the military has killed 23 Islamic militants in the Sinai Peninsula in dawn air raids south of the north Sinai border town of Rafah.They say the army was seeking out militants house to house on Thursday in the town of Sheikh Zuweid, and demining roads in and around the town that extremists had booby trapped with mines and improvised explosives devices.

An Associated Press reporter across the border in the Gaza Strip heard explosions and saw smoke rising in the area as airstrikes continued in the afternoon and warplanes roared overhead.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media.The raids came a day after militants hit military positions in northern Sinai. The army said 17 troops and 90 militants were killed, but security officials and media reports said dozens of soldiers and some 100 militants died in the fighting.

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